The Detroit Tigers are well on their way to another postseason appearance. They currently hold a 9.5-game lead over the Kansas City Royals, owning the second-best record across Major League Baseball.
Detroit has gotten exceptional production from multiple players, making it a team effort. The pitching staff has been elite, and the offense has had enough production to allow their bullpen to shut down games.
However, this does not mean they get an automatic ticket to the postseason. They still have to finish out the regular season, and The Athletic’s Jim Bowden warns them to take it game by game.
“The chief concern they have now is not to get ahead of themselves. Yes, it’s a cliche, but they have to take it one game at a time until they clinch the division title and potentially homefield advantage through the LCS.”
While it would be tough, the Royals still have a shot to close the gap in the division. Detroit cannot finish the regular season believing they have already won it all. They must finish the regular season with momentum and carry that into October.
“If they can keep that approach, they should clinch the Central sometime in mid-September, which would give them plenty of time to set up their postseason roster and ensure their bullpen is well rested and their position players are primed for October.”
The Tigers must finish the season on the right foot
The Tigers cannot falter now. They must take advantage of their upcoming schedule, having five series to close out the regular season with teams that are .500 or below.
They must win the games they are supposed to and give their everyday starters a rest period before the postseason. The last thing the club wants to do is make it a tighter division race than it needs to be and keep guys in the lineup that could use a few days off.
